A Baku court refused to allow Ali Karimli to attend his father's funeral.
A Baku court has denied Ali Karimli, chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), a request to place him under house arrest. The petition was filed in connection with the death of the opposition leader's father, so that he could attend the funeral.
As the "Caucasian Knot" reported, on November 29, 2025, State Security Service officers detained Ali Karimli and his advisor, Mammad Ibrahim, a member of the Presidium of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA). Both opposition figures were arrested for two and a half months, until February 13. Karimli was charged under Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (actions aimed at the violent seizure of power or the violent change of the constitutional order of the state). He denied the charge and called his criminal case political persecution. On February 9, the arrest of Karimli and Ibrahim was extended for another four months.
On February 12, the State Security Service of Azerbaijan announced the uncovering of a conspiracy against the country's authorities involving former high-ranking officials and members of the Azerbaijani opposition. Among the defendants in the case are former head of the presidential administration Ramiz Mehdiyev and PFPA leader Ali Karimli. Mehdiyev has been accused of attempting a coup d'état and is under house arrest. On November 29, the pro-government APA news agency linked the search of Ali Karimli's home to the Ramiz Mehdiyev case, while a publication affiliated with the PFPA refuted this version.
Yesterday, May 13, the Sabail District Court of Baku considered a petition from Karimli's lawyers to place him under house arrest, Natig Adilov, head of the PFPA press service, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
"Ali Karimli's elderly father, Amirhuseyn Karimov, died on May 9. The PFPA chairman's lawyers and his family appealed to the investigative body with a request to grant Ali Karimli a short leave of absence so he could pay his last respects to his father. But not only was Ali Karimli not released, but he was not even promptly notified of his father's death. He, as the court revealed, only learned of his father's death on May 12, three days later. The lawyers "They petitioned to transfer Karimli to house arrest because the party leader's father had already been buried in his native village of Azadkend in the Saatli district," Adilov said.
However, according to him, the court dismissed the petition. "Once again, we encountered political bias against Ali Karimli. The law allows for short-term leave for defendants and convicted individuals due to the death of a relative. And this has even happened with opposition activists," Adilov noted.
PFPA Deputy Chair Saadat Jahangir told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Karimli's supporters were not allowed near the courthouse during the trial in the Sabail Court. "The court hearing was closed. But we weren't even allowed near the courthouse. Every trial against Karimli is conducted with such heightened security around courthouses," said Jahangir.
A Sabail Court employee confirmed the rejection of Karimli's defense motion.